Easily one of the biggest stories thats not being talked about this season.

The Bucs are coming apart at the seams. I feel for Freeman. Apparently the team was convinced Freeman was still the answer, only Schiano was unconvinced and has pushed this situation to the brink. Now its clearly beyond recovering. Schiano's demand for a cult of personality is causing that team to fall apart.

Despite his Ireland-ish draft record, i like Mark Dominik. I feel the chances hes taken were worth the risks. Unfortunately it seems hes going to go down with the ship. Oh well, guess the rest of that division gets to sit back and watch. Schiano's probably safe for another year, but he wont be succeed in this league.

Schiano is safe until his contract expires, with that ownership group.

I thought it was interesting last year when Schiano instructed his guys to dive at the Giants' legs during a kneeldown and the players basically came out and publicly said they didn't like doing it. I wondered how long it would take for things to begin to crack.

Yes. He's publicly throwing his QB under the bus in far worse fashion than Rex did with Geno, and again, last year he ordered his team to dive at the OL's knees when they were in victory formation. Who the hell does that? Even the players came out and complained about being coached to do that. He's like Nick Saban in the personality department, but he's not nearly as good of a football coach.

I don't think its great to have a disconnect with any starting QB when you're a HC, but it's not as if Josh Freeman has been above criticism as a starting QB, at least in regards to his play on the field. The guy had one miraculously successful season where most of the plays he made came after the play had broken down, not through making his reads and executing the play as called. Since then, he's been a hot mess, and last year he single-handedly took the Bucs out of contention as fast as they had surprised the league by getting back in it. For all his physical tools, the ability to execute the right throw at the right time hasn't been with him.

He very well could hit the open market this year, and some needy team will bring him in, but imagining him even approaching the upper echelon of NFL QB's when there are so many guys who can dominate defenses on their better days is hard to fathom.

Considering the inconsistency of the Bucs organization, it's probably just as likely that the players are as big of an issue as a coach. Coming after a player's coach, a disciplinarian is always unpopular until success is achieved.

With the relationship between Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback Josh Freeman and coach Greg Schiano seen by league and team sources as beyond repair, Freeman is likely to ask for a deal ahead of next month's trade deadline. Schiano, whose tenure already stands at a perilous point despite coaching just 17 NFL games, further alienated the quarterback by revealing why he was absent for a team photo, and the lack of trust between the men has long been no secret in that locker room.

Furthermore, several executives on other clubs believe Schiano's refusal to ever really endorse Freeman is an attempt to undermine general manager Mark Dominik, who drafted Freeman in the first round prior to Schiano's arrival from Rutgers and who has also worked diligently to add talent to that roster in recent years. Many around the league believe Schiano would like to have full roster control as well, viewing Freeman -- who threw for over 4,000 yards and nearly 30 touchdowns last year -- as a pawn in a would-be power struggle.

Unless he rights the ship, losing like he has , Schiano is a dead HC walking. No way the Glazers will side with him over the GM...nor should they. Schiano is even less qualified to run the whole shebang than Satan, and we know all too painfully how that worked out.

Unless he rights the ship, losing like he has , Schiano is a dead HC walking. No way the Glazers will side with him over the GM...nor should they. Schiano is even less qualified to run the whole shebang than Satan, and we know all too painfully how that worked out.

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The Glazers are probably the stingiest ownership group in the NFL. They aren't going to pay him not to work for them. Unless they can find a reason to fire him for cause, he is going to stick around at least another year.

Fox Sports' Mike Garafolo reported Monday that All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis is irritated with Schiano's stricter ways after coming from Rex Ryan's relatively loose regime with the New York Jets. Per Garafolo, Revis also is frustrated with the lack of man-to-man coverage on defense.

Revis' chief complaint is similar to that of former Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow, who chafed under Schiano's militaristic approach to discipline before a May 2012 trade.

Schiano's strong-armed brand of discipline might work in the college ranks, but it's no surprise that it's rubbing professional athletes the wrong way.

From the outside looking in, this is a team bordering on disarray. The Bucs followed up a mistake-filled, last-second Week 1 loss with another heartbreaking debacle Sunday.

NFL players typically respect any coaching staff that puts them in position to win, but they tune out when the opposite occurs. It's an ominous sign for Schiano that his offensive leader and most decorated defensive player already feel alienated just two weeks into the season.

From the outside, although Schiano and Philbin both seem to be no-nonsense HCs, the difference is that Schiano comes off as a heavy-handed buffoon with no accumulated NFL capital to play off while Coach Joe engenders respect through both his calm, dignified demeanor and credentials as a SB-winning OC. When a superstar like Aaron Rodgers attributes much of his personal and professional growth to Philbin, whether an autocrat or not, you know there's an underlying humanism.

I really don't see a "my way or the highway" bull in a china shop (to coin a few cliches) like Schiano lasting too long in a league where most everyone he's bullying are grown men and millionaire$. Especially with no hardware. Sort of the "Saban Syndrome" all over again.

From the outside, although Schiano and Philbin both seem to be no-nonsense HCs, the difference is that Schiano comes off as a heavy-handed buffoon with no accumulated NFL capital to play off while Coach Joe engenders respect through both his calm, dignified demeanor and credentials as a SB-winning OC. When a superstar like Aaron Rodgers attributes much of his personal and professional growth to Philbin, whether an autocrat or not, you know there's an underlying humanism.

I really don't see a "my way or the highway" bull in a china shop (to coin a few cliches) like Schiano lasting too long in a league where most everyone he's bullying are grown men and millionaire$. Especially with no hardware. Sort of the "Saban Syndrome" all over again.

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More alarming is how two-faced and underhanded Schiano appears. Other teams questioning Schiano's motives is one thing, but for the players to have to call a meeting to determine if a vote was rigged is another.

It's funny but I'm totally with Jets fans on the whole Revis thing. I thought Darrelle was talking about the 'family atmosphere' in Tampa and kept saying that his 'team' had determined that Tampa Bay was the best place for him to play.

It's funny but I'm totally with Jets fans on the whole Revis thing. I thought Darrelle was talking about the 'family atmosphere' in Tampa and kept saying that his 'team' had determined that Tampa Bay was the best place for him to play.

I don't have an ounce of sympathy. Not one.

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He wasn't derisively referred to as "MEvis" for a couple of years by some of the more objective jets fans without justification.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have decided to bench quarterback Josh Freeman for rookie Mike Glennon, according to league sources.

The Bucs are making the change now because they feel it is beneficial for Glennon with the bye week coming after Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, team sources told ESPN. He can start this week, then have two weeks for the coaches to review his performance and make corrections before the Bucs play the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 13.

Josh Freeman lost his starting job in Tampa Bay earlier this week. Now, he might not even have a spot on the active roster.

The Buccaneers may scratch Freeman from the lineup for Sunday’s game with Arizona, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported. If that’s the decision, Dan Orlovsky would back up rookie starter Mike Glennon.

According to both Stroud and Bucs insider Jenna Laine, the catalyst behind Freeman’s latest potential demotion may have been an interview Freeman conducted with ESPN on Thursday, which Laine reported “wasn’t authorized by the Bucs”.

One of the first quarterbacks Tampa Bay focused on was then-Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer. He was capable enough to get Tampa Bay to the playoffs, but expendable enough that Oakland was willing to part ways with him.Tampa planned it out. It had extensive talks to try to get a trade done. A deal was within its grasp, so much so that the Buccaneers believed Palmer would be theirs.

And just when the Buccaneers thought they would land him, the Cardinals stepped in and made an offer the Raiders could not refuse. Arizona, not Tampa, got the trade done.In the end, one of Palmer's agents, Dave Dunn, helped steer his client to Arizona instead of Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers felt jilted, betrayed. It did not play particularly well in their training facility. And the Buccaneers had little choice but to find their new emergency backup quarterback, North Carolina State's Mike Glennon, in the third round of the draft.

This is ridiculous. A starting quarterback was benched, so of course the media was asking his opinion on the matter, this happens all the time in the NFL. But apparently that cant happen in Tampa. And way to build trust Schiano, try and trade for veteran starting quarterback. Just cut him already.

Most people in Tampa seem to think both Freeman and Schiano are a joke. In the end, those on the team or close to the team weren't near as surprised by this move as those not paying close attention to things. A lot of events where Freeman didn't come out in the best light weren't made a big deal of or latched on by national media.

Most people in Tampa seem to think both Freeman and Schiano are a joke. In the end, those on the team or close to the team weren't near as surprised by this move as those not paying close attention to things. A lot of events where Freeman didn't come out in the best light weren't made a big deal of or latched on by national media.

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Theres no doubt Freeman hasnt responded well to whats been going on. He hasnt stepped up to the challenge on or off the field.

But at the same time, a coaches job is to put their quarterback into the best position to succeed, not go to war against them. Schiano arrived and decided he was going to make Freeman's life difficult. Why did he decide to do this? 'Cause. Not to mention all the rumors of him attempting to undermine Dominik and the level of mistrust his players seem to have for him.

I dont see very much media bias(which has quickly become the number 1 subject on this forum). But then again, i consider trying to trade for another quarterback behind your supposed franchise QB's back to be a bigger deal then missing a team photo.

It got even worse for the Bucs yesterday. Up 10-0 entering the 4th quarter, Mike Glennon goes all MIKE GLENNON and the Cards come back to win the game. They were helped along by ANOTHER Dashon Goldson personal foul that led directly to points for the Cards.

It seems to me that at that players only meeting, the Bucs players decided that they were going to try to get the meathead from Rutgers fired. And they're doing a pretty damn good job of it.

Even with the Glazers running the show there's no way Schiano survives this year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman is a stage one participant in the NFL's drug program but he is not one strike away from a suspension despite being subject to random testing, according to league and player sources with knowledge of his status...

Freeman has not had any incidents that have placed him in jeopardy of suspension, such as a positive test of a banned street-drug substance, sources said. Thus, Freeman is in relatively good standing under the program, sources added.

Freeman's stage one status also would not necessarily mean he has tested positive for a banned substance even though he has been subject to random or reasonable cause testing, as deemed necessary by the medical director who oversees the program. A player can be placed in stage one for a variety of reasons, including behavioral causes. The medical director determines the length of stage one status.

I think Freeman sucked and his inconsistency was maddening but I actually am starting to feel a little bad for him. The more I hear about the TB situation, the more I realize that Schiano had an agenda to get him replaced, and while I do think that Freeman has been a little mentally detached the past offseason, and his play has sucked, he's not exactly Ryan Leaf.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman is firing back after ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that Freeman entered stage one of the NFL's drug program. The reports, which reveal Freeman's private medical information, implied that drugs were an issue for Freeman.

In a press release by his agents, Freeman says he voluntarily entered the program after getting permission to use Adderall for his ADHD. Since entering the program, Freeman said he has passed 46 drug tests. That information was not supposed to become public, but once it did Freeman explained the situation.

Freeman is rightfully upset about his medical information getting leaked. None of this reflects well on the Buccaneers organization, which has remained quiet to this point. Be sure to check out SB Nation's Buccaneers blog, Bucs Nation, which is not pleased about how this story has developed.

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Freemans statement:

Let me be very clear. I have NEVER tested positive for any illegal drugs or related substances. Further, I have agreed to take, and have PASSED 46 NFL-regulated drug tests over the last year and a half.

Since the confidentiality of my medical status has been publicly violated, I am choosing to address this matter so that grossly erroneous assumptions about me do not persist. Like millions of Americans, I have ADHD and I have been prescribed and permitted to take medication to treat this condition for the entirety of my NFL career. Well over a year ago, I took a different medication for the same condition (Ritalin rather than Adderall) , and to assure everyone that the error was a one-time mistake, I agreed to be voluntarily tested in the "NFL Program". Since that time, I have taken and passed all 46 drug tests I've been given, which test for every drug and banned substance imaginable. I agreed to allow such testing to be done at my workplace (team facility) because I spend all of my time there and I have nothing whatsoever to hide or be embarrassed about.

Unfortunately, it appears that some people who may have noticed the testing at my workplace have made hurtful and incorrect assumptions and chosen to disseminate inaccurate and very disturbing information. It is a shame that when times have gotten tough, people have chosen to attack the character of others, rather than supporting each other. I remain dedicated and focused to being the best quarterback I can be and to help a team win a championship.

You know, there was speculation that teams would blame Freeman and not Schiano for the fallout. How Freeman was mentally weak and how he let off the field distractions effect his leadership role. But i think this clears up a lot of the blame.

This is clownshoes bad. This is lawsuit bad. Who in there right mind does this? Nevermind the ethics or legal liabilities of such an action, who in their right mind thinks that trying to paint him as a drug addict would work? Just cut the guy and be done with it.

The drama surrounding Josh Freeman in Tampa Bay took another turn on Tuesday when Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik told Freeman not to attend the team meeting, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.

The reports were later clarified by Dominik, who said Freeman was excused from the meeting because coach Greg Schiano wanted to speak privately with the maligned quarterback after tension between the player and coach hit a new high Monday night. Dominik said Freeman was excused until a meeting later in the day with Schiano after participating in team activities throughout Tuesday.

Glazer initially reported said some of his sources think the Freeman was asked not to attend the meeting to make other players think he missed the meeting on his own. Freeman reportedly overslept and missed a meeting earlier this season.

Some of this could just be escalation, people letting things pile up and running with it. But at the same time, when the situation has gotten this dysfunctional, why would you not be clear about why he was missing the meeting? Why give people room to misread it?

Or: just cut him. That way you can focus your time on preparing for the next victory formation rush.

The Bucs have ****ed this thing up so badly. I realize that Freeman maybe hasn't handled it perfectly, but I honestly can't blame him for firing back with both barrels after the team started leaking things about him to make him look bad. I think i would go nuclear on that, too.

They need to suck it up and cut him before this really gets out of hand.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fined quarterback Josh Freeman $31,500 on Wednesday. Freeman was fined a portion of that for an unauthorized interview with ESPN, and the rest for missing a team meeting and "conduct detrimental to the team," according to reports. Explaining everything that's gone on with Freeman at this point is difficult, but Wednesday also brought a statement from the NFL on the matter and some pretty negative reports regarding head coach Greg Schiano.

The relationship between Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman and Greg Schiano has deteriorated in recent weeks, but that's not the only schism the embattled head coach has created in Tampa.

SI's Andre Brandt reports that Schiano has created a Big Brother-type atmosphere in the locker room, going as far as spying on players. From MMQB:

In speaking with agents of several Bucs players recently, I have sensed a common theme: There is an atmosphere of fear and distrust under the current regime in Tampa. Players have told their agents about coaches roaming through the locker room (typically the players' sanctuary away from coaches) and staff videotaping playerson the sidelines during losses to single out players laughing or horsing around.